Best Game Franchises of the 20th Century: Series That Shaped Gaming History

Franchises of the 20th century played a major role in shaping the digital entertainment industry, but which of these series had the greatest impact on the gaming world? The history of video games is tied to the rise of series that pushed the boundaries of innovation. In the final decades of the twentieth century, a variety of platforms, including Nintendo NES, Sega Genesis ... The post Best Game Franchises of the 20th Century; Series That

0 Posted by: Mehran Akbari on October 22, 1405 at 21:01

Game franchises of the 20th century have played an important role in the formation of the digital entertainment industry; But which of these collections could have the greatest impact on the game world?

The history of video games is intertwined with the emergence of series that pushed the boundaries of innovation. In the last decades of the 20th century, various platforms such as Nintendo NES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, PlayStation, and personal computers hosted new heroes and genres. These influential franchises laid a solid foundation not only for their publishers and developers, but for the medium as a whole. Examining this legacy helps us better understand the roots of modern gaming.

When some people think of video games, they may think of spaceships or sword-wielding heroes. But there were other options, and Electronic Arts (EA) recognized this potential with the release of John Madden Football in 1988. This game was the beginning of a series that was developed in collaboration with popular sports commentator and coach, John Madden. Electronic Arts' partnership with the NFL peaked at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the new millennium, attracting an audience that wasn't interested in fantasy adventures. This collection was very important for the sports genre.

After a shaky start, Mega Man established itself with the release of Mega Man 2. The series quickly rose to the top with its reliable formula, challenging eight rogue cars in Dr. Wiley's designs each year. This simple concept was the basis for numerous games in the original series as well as spin-offs such as Mega Man X and other titles on home consoles and arcades. Capcom made a big impact on the action-platformer genre with this franchise.

Gothic adventure games owe their name to Castlevania and its dozens of sequels. The franchise is an important part of the inspiration for the Metroidvania subgenre, which culminated in the massive hit Symphony of the Night on March 20, 1997 on the PlayStation. Before that, several sets were released on hardware such as NES, Sega Genesis, MSX and Commodore 64. With Castlevania, Konami made a significant impact on story telling and stage design in games.

Nintendo's long gaming history began with Donkey Kong, a franchise that proved the company had something special to offer in video games. The original Donkey Kong, however special, didn't seem like it would inspire an entire franchise on its own, but it did. The series was followed by Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong 3, and Donkey Kong Jr. Meth. Years later, Rare's Donkey Kong Country trilogy proved that Nintendo still had a lot to say, extending the life of the Super Nintendo until the release of the Nintendo 64.

8. Resident Evil

Resident Evil and its sequels had a huge impact on the survival horror genre. Raccoon City and its surrounding areas, with abandoned mansions and a scary police station, offered gamers an unforgettable experience of escaping from zombies and the Umbrella Corporation. The franchise inspired countless imitators (such as Konami's excellent Silent Hill series) and feature films. With this title, Capcom was able to bring horror to players' homes and define a new standard.

7. Street Fighter

The Street Fighter series culminated in the March 1991 release of Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior in arcades. The game came to the Super Nintendo a year later and allowed for unlimited play. But for a long time, the best arcade cabinet gaming experiences were found in laundromats, pizzerias, and convenience stores. The franchise inspired many other titles such as Mortal Kombat and Tekken and revolutionized the fighting game genre. Capcom created a gold standard in the genre with Street Fighter.

6. Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog); One of the most influential game franchises

With the release of Sonic the Hedgehog on June 23, 1991, Sega created a fierce competitor for Mario. With his super speed, cool looks, and red shoes, Sonic quickly became an icon. He would collect the rings and when he made a mistake and hit the thorns, the rings would be thrown around. Sonic and Mario became the main rivals immediately after the release of the game, and in the 90s, this rivalry fueled heated debates among gamers and played an important role in the history of the game franchises.

The slogan "Gotta catch 'em all" became the slogan of a generation of young players. Despite the concerns, gamers spent hours exploring digital worlds to get new creatures such as fish, rabbits or birds for their team by throwing balls. This franchise reached the peak of popularity in the 90s. Collecting cards, demanding more batteries to beat club leaders, and exchanging blue and red versions with friends were all manifestations of this phenomenon. Along with its widely watched anime, Pokemon became an entertainment giant in the history of game franchises.

Doom, id Software's classic first-person shooter, was so impressive that it could be played on any device with minimal computing power and a single screen. This main game was the main reason for holding LAN parties and introduced us to the depths of hell. The latter founded a popular franchise that in turn inspired many imitators. The series was an undisputed force in its era and forever etched in the history of gaming franchises.

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The Legend of Zelda started one of the most popular game franchises in the history of the medium with a simple story similar to the classic legends. The original games on the Nintendo NES and the sequel on the Super Nintendo attracted gamers. Link's Awakening showed a huge world on the small Gameboy, and then Ocarina of Time surprised everyone with its unforgettable forays into 3D worlds. Zelda was and still is a powerful and inspiring force.

2. Final Fantasy

The Final Fantasy series has become one of the most enduring franchises in the history of video games with the release of multiple games over four decades, and the release of successful versions has increased its popularity even more. Square's release of Final Fantasy 7 for Sony's PlayStation console was a major turning point and even led some old Nintendo fans to purchase a new console to experience the game.

One of the ads for Super Mario Bros. 3 featured a group of Nintendo fans chanting Mario's name, eventually revealing themselves to be part of a larger crowd.

The game was accompanied by an extensive promotional campaign that included The Wizard, an independent cartoon series, and even a feature film, although the film was not well received. Super Mario Bros. 3 was considered the biggest version of this collection at that time, and its success was such that beyond the game, it led to the production of various side works; However, the movie could not attract the positive opinion of the fans and was not very faithful to the games.